The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-08

| lIshed he pretends that he does not know what
the fact is, telegraphs to Mr. Foulke that he will
promise to inform him, because it was not nee
essary" Ought such trustee and treasurer to
remain in charge of the hospitalE
think have discovered the reason
why the Senate committee did not refer TO the
charge about the Mellen discount in their re-
port. The matter was embarrassing" In such
case speech was silver but silence was eighteen
carat gold. So the committee confne themselves
to stating Tin q general way that tine man
agement has been prudent. honest and economi-
cal"
: These generalities are more discreet than the
defense of Mr.. Gansn, undertaken by the minor
ity of the committee of the House of Represent
atves These worthy gentlemen found as fol-
lows
Against Mr.. Gapen nothing has been charged ex
cepS that he absent nearly year in Arkansas on
private business during which time he discharged
of his duties 1t is also charged that
he received a certain rebate of $6477 from Mellep
& Co.. Of New York. Mr. Gapen admits that he re-
ceive the draft but says he cashed it and turned
recollect it, and thinks it was done. Aside from
these matters he has been very faithful, ehclent
and honest official
1t is safe to say that history does not furnish a
more grotesQue vndcaton of a public officer.
Entirely honest and faithful. barring mis-
appropriation, and one years neglect of duty
And this is the man now in che employ of John
f. Sullivan. whose vote was cast for the removal
CRUELTIES IN THE ASYLUM.
Mr. Foulke now discussed the bad supplies
furnished. the hogs, the butter and the relations
of DIR. Harrison with John E.. Sullivan. Then
he took up the matter of cruelty to patients.
II would naturally be expected where ward
politicians are appointed to take of the In
Sane. and asylum is run a political ma
chine. that the attendants would be more eff
Gent IN npulating elections than in the dis
charge of their duties We would look for negi-
gence. ineficiency and cruelty, and all these
disclosed by the evidence. Mrs. Anglemeyer.
jr, saw attendant pushing and Shaping
patient in the face. when on a visit TO the asy-
1um. Page 49, Thayer. formerly patient,
found Buchanan. old friend of his, with his
face disfigured. that he did not recognize him.
page 5l.) He saw attendants compelling him TO
sit up straight, though Buchanan cried, ''Tor
Gods sake let me sit on my side to the pain
little" and he trembied and appeared to suffer,
page % Soon afterward he Was sent home
and died.
Thayer describes a man locked up with him
and ten twelve other patients. who had six
epileptic fits in one night, and although i'll in
the morning. was compelled to get up, and was
beaten into submission. II. ID. And another
patient, whom the attendant leased, by accusing
him of stealing; also one Speeder, slapped over
the face and check by an attendant as hard as
he could strike Merithew, visitor, saw
patient IT, 154l, who WAS roughly jerked back into
his seat q number of times. The attendant
said. Net him alone; they are breaking him in;
We have to break in q great many of them in
that way" He saw ono patient crawling on his
hands and knees; another commenced kicking
him violently; attendant stood bv and made
effort to interfere. Up. 155 Marley.
tendant appointed through Doctor Thomas Ia
man whom the trustees attempted to discredit
account OF conviction of crime), saw
patient. and old who could hardly
walk, dragged off lounge and stamped
in the breast, and another old in
''F'" ward, (page 1897, kicked and beaten the
head. Doctor Fletcher testifes that be has
seen crueltes several times, that they DIFF
shut up, and the attendants form combinations
to let the matter drop. He says (p. 414l I'm the
mems department have caught men abusing
patients three times. and the number of
ports have acted upon 1 cannot tell you. A
large number. though, within the four years |
have been there" Unnecessary violence
used in getting back patient who had escaped.
The committee, say In their report: 'Cne or
two instances were shown by the prosecution of
cruelty to patients" The power of diminishing
the facts proved against the trustees only
equasd in the case of the Senate committee,
by the power of exaggerating the virtues of the
trustees and of the spoils system. of which they
are the champions
It is not to be wondered at that under such a
system helpless paralytic should be placed
by an incompetent attendant in bath
in the case of McConahy, only
few days ago. nor that the ring of the MUIR
dered man should be found missing from his
burial without bsrmls and every effort made
to stlhe inquiry. But this case is not alone.
Caroline Lane burned to death. and Mrs.
stewart jumped through the ciothes-schute lin
gered six weeks and died, yet nobody could be
found whom the blame could be attached
Doctor Stockton testified that old woman
scalded foot while bathing and the scad
FASTENED ner death. All these things are legit-
innate outcome of the inhuman system which
has made political spoils out of the places in this
institution.
But in spite of the iniouities Of the asylum
management the friends of the helpless inmates
have had at least this consolation-that the
kind heart and honest purpose OF Dr. Fletcher
would place some limit beyond which the mis-
treatment of patients could not go. But this last
refuge is now taken away It became necessary,
for the purposes of that secrecy which is always
required to cover the traces of crime, that
honest superin tendent should no longer be per-
mtted, even in a legislative investigation, to
disclose the facts which came to his knowledge.
DR.. Fletcher was superseded that brutal attend
ants and knavish contractors might have COM
plete immunity. The question now is. how long
will the people of Indiana permit this I'M
cleanness to defile their Starea What must
these gentlemen think of the political prostitu-
ton which led TO his discharged
OF the House of Representa-
tives stated in their report: 1.-THE superintend-
emit, Or: Fletcher, is man well fitted
hearted, benevolent and humane. To these nat
ural endowments he has added, by assiduous
study. a thorough medical education. Moreover.
he has made TIE treatment of the insane speci-
atty, and has acquired By wide and varied obser-
walton, both in this country aud in Europe, and
unremittine study. knowledge of this subject
surpassed by few of the many eminent men
gagged this noblest work"
But it is the very hideousness of this example
which leads to hope that the accursed system
by which all these things are nourished, must
soon pass away. Our own duty is clear. 1t is
that in success disaster we hold aloft
standard OF reform-that We preach our gospel
whenever an be found to listen, Let us
be firm in the conviction that to seek
temporary success, at the expense permanent
defeat: that it is not the result of this election
Or the next which to care for
SO much as the soundness of the cause.
in behalf of which we lift our voices. AS We
amid the stormy waters of political
let seek not merely the crest OF
the wave which rises just before US. which. if
we attain, it is only to sink again among the
pillows, but let our aim be the more distant
headland, the rock which stands out clear
a. ainst the sky To that let turn: thither let
US bend strokes. conscious that though the
task be harder and the way longer. yet when we
have reached it we shall no longer he tossed, the
sport OF the surges of varying poitlcal success.